When Life Imitates Art - Doctor Who Style

If you are a fan of Sci-Fi and of good stories in whatever medium in general, you should check out the website io9 and its Morning Spoilers feature (here's the link for the one today). In it, they provide the latest scoop about your favorite TV shows and movies.

The reason I bring this up is because the point of this post comes from their latest bit of Doctor Who news by way of The Press Association. It's actually a quote from series star Matt Smith, who plays the Eleventh Doctor, regarding his co-star, the lovely Karen Gillan, who plays the Doctor's companion, Amy Pond.

Here's the quote:

"She can't die, Amy Pond can't die. No way, I'd be sad. I'd miss Karen. I just think for this particular Doctor, his bond with Amy, I think there's a lot more mileage in it yet. I think there's a long way to go. So I can't see it happening any time soon. Don't worry, I won't let it happen - I'll save her, I'll save the day."

Don't worry, I won't let it happen - I'll save her, I'll save the day.

Fans of the show know how awesome this bit of news sounds and it basically underscores the fact that Smith is perfect for the role. That last line especially, sounds exactly like something the good Doctor himself would say. Suffice it to say, he's been taking notes and has got the role down pat and all Who fans should love him for it.

Long live The Doctor and Amy Pond! Long live Matt and Karen!

A Few Things...(Also: Spoiler Alert!)

1. So I picked up Halo: Reach over the weekend...AND IT IS EFFING AWESOME. I've only played it once and put it down after I finished the fourth level but I've seen enough of it to know it's going to go down as one of the greatest Xbox 360 games ever, let alone the best of the Halo franchise. I love how all the weapons are more effective than they were in Halo 3, how the Elites are so hard to properly take down and the gameplay is just sharper than it's ever been. Suffice it to say, the game is as impressive and awesome as they said it would be. I peeked a little at the 5th mission, and if the opening cinematic is any indication, I'm in for an all-out battle with the Covenant on Reach's harsh terrain. Can't wait.

2. On the same day I picked up Halo: Reach, I also got myself a copy of the second part of The Strain Trilogy, The Fall by authors Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan. The paperback edition is only some three hundred pages so I'm trying not to rush through it (which I am failing to do since despite my busy schedule, I'm more than halfway through). Despite the fact that, since it's the middle book and you got the exposition and set-up in the first, so with this one, it immediately jumps into the action, I'm finding it moving a little slow. I love the book and all, don't get me wrong, and some of the developments have been interesting, explosive and down right sadistic so I think I'll talk about it all after I finish the entire thing.

3. Got my NBI clearance today (Monday, September 20, 2010) and even if it seemed like a million miles away (N.B. Monumento is VERY FAR from Makati), the process of getting myself cleared was pretty easy. Same with getting my police clearance and cedula. Snaps for the Philippine government!

4. I still have a lot of requirements to finish so I hope I didn't jinx it with that last one haha. *Knocks on wood*

5. Allow me, for one moment, to pour out my feelings.

I hate how, despite understanding that it's okay to be single and that I have tons of friends who love me (or at least like me a lot...or well, tolerate me) blah blah blah, I still feel alone and well, lonely. Like, just an hour ago when I desperately just wanted to talk to someone and I realized I couldn't, (and more importantly in this case, shouldn't), I just felt defeated and lost. It's a crap feeling I go through every now and then and it never fails to bring me down. So there.

6. Tomorrow, I continue my quest to accomplish all of my pre-employment requirements. Here's to that.

7. Castle, Supernatural, Smallville, Glee and whole mess of shows start this week. What bad timing I have, to finally get a job when all my favorite television shows begin their new seasons. Haha.

Okay, so that's it for now. Hope this is a good week for everyone. Toodles!

The Decision III: The Jeri Job Hunt

To complete the trilogy about the three most important decisions in Earth's history (to refresh your memory, the first was LeBron's, the next was Anthony Tolliver's), I have decided to take my talents to Metrobank.

Yes, I am going to work at a bank.

Or well, I'm supposed to start on October First but knowing how my life works, something bad's going to happen before then and I'll never make it.

*crosses fingers (or am I?)*

Lex, if you are reading this, IHAVEAJOB! Hahahahaha. Looks like we can't hang out everyday when you come back. :( Hahaha.

How will this affect me? Will I able to jell with my officemates and bring home a championship? Will other legends criticize me for choosing to go to Metrobank? Stay tuned...

The Fish Analogy

So the big news yesterday (September the 14th, 2010) aside from it being my baby brother's birthday (Belated Happy Birthday Mikey!) was the fact that I got a job offer yesterday. It was from a bank and my mom could not be more pleased. I did not expect myself to be so happy just to have a job offer but I realized that it was at a good bank and even if the pay was kinda low, there were good benefits.

However. HOWEVER. Today (September the 15th, 2010), I got a call from another company asking if I was interested in an HR position and if I were, they'd have me over for an interview. Also today, I got an email from another company, in reply to an email I sent waaaaaaaay back in March, one of the first I sent out. Said company asked me if I still wanted to work for them and well honestly, what this company does is something I'm very interested in.

I know they're not actually job offers BUT HOLY HELL WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON HERE. I mean, I'm like a fish who has been in the lake for ages and none of the fisherman want me when all of a sudden, one of them does want me but then in the distance, other fishermen have arrived and are laying out chum. This fish doesn't know what to do!

Thank you very much, irony gods.

Halo: Reach and the Disadvantages of Sticking to a Budget

"Halo: Reach."

"HALO: REACH!!!"

"Haaay-lo Reech!"

"HAY. LO. REEEECH!!!"

As if I needed something else to waste my time with. Look, if you have an Xbox 360, you have got to at least own one Halo game right? And if you actually love the franchise, ISN'T HALO: REACH THE THING YOU'D SELL YOUR SOUL FOR??? Not that I'm an advocate of Faustian acts but HALO: REACH. AMIRIGHT?

The reviews are all positive, the snippets of gameplay scattered all over the internet look awe-inspiring and IT'S THE STORY OF THE FALL OF REACH (prequel to the Halo games starring Master Chief, how the good guys lost and the bad guys glassed a planet). It's an epic and an epic game and it causes people to shout-type in CAPS LOCK, or maybe that's just me, but nevertheless, it's a game you have to have because it is pretty darn good.

And just my luck, I'm committed to about a gazillion other purchase this month. There's The Fall by Hogan and del Toro, the second book of The Strain trilogy which I'm dying to get my hands on and also the X-Men: Second Coming Hardcover, which comes out at the end of the month, among other things. I have no more money for Halo: Reach. (Shoot me now.)

Actually, I do have the resources to pick up the game and all of the other things I want but...I'd be all tapped out afterward. Ay, there's the rub. Ugh.

Materialism is not evil. Having things is good. Having to spend money on them is bad. (Spoken like a true supervillain in the making.)

Time to rob a bank. Or get a job. Whichever is easiest.

The Best One of the Best Ones

Yes, I'm listening to this song again. No matter how you feel about Dashboard Confessional's most overplayed, most infamous and most importantly, (arguably) their best song...well, actually, if you were part of the other camp, you'd think this was the worst song ever, so I guess it does matter how you feel. But I digress. And have stumbled my way to the point I wanted to make.

"Stolen" is a song by the band Dashboard Confessional. What exactly was 'stolen?' Well, according to the song, it was "my heart." Yes, it is one of those songs, but like the title says, it was the best one of the best ones, of those songs. I submit to you, Stolen, for best "love power ballad" ever.

Why? Because if you were 17 and in love with someone and you heard this song on the radio, from the TV or from your computer, you damn well should have felt all those tingly feelings, all those butterflies in your stomach, because Stolen makes you want to fall in love.

It is an anthem. An anthem for all those who have ever felt like they belonged with someone. I guarantee that this song, corny, dreamy, sickening lyrics and all, if played at the right moment, will induce romance. And that's okay. We all need a little bit of love in our lives anyway.

So to all those who might not like the song very much, give it another chance. Listen to it and listen the fuck out of it. Sing along once you know the words. Just friggin' listen. Wait for that moment the song hits you. Wait 'til that part in the song where it tells you what all of this is for.

You are the best one, of the best ones.

Someone out there is the one for you, and you for whoever that person is. And finding each other is going to be the greatest moment of your life.

2010 FIBA World Championships Final

We started with 24, now we are down to two. It is the final game of the 2010 FIBA World Championships between host Turkey and United States of America. This is the live-blog. Let's pray that no one gets hurt and we have ourselves a good game!

Pregame:

-Around 5 and 1/2 minutes to go in the 3rd place game. Lithuania (which upset Spain in group play and shockingly destroyed Argentina in the quarters before falling to Team USA) is up by 17 against Serbia (thriller of a quarterfinal against Spain, stunned by Turkey in the semis). I was very impressed by the Lithuanians. Boasting only one NBA player (Linas Kleiza) they didn't seem to be too much of a threat but they worked hard, made their shots and played tough D so if they do finish the tournament third, they truly deserve it.

-By the way, Spain finished 6th and Argentina, 5th.

-Okay, Lithuania wins 99-88 and takes the bronze. Kleiza finishes with 33. Let's get it on!

-US needs to limit turnovers. Defense will get them opportunities but they need to be able to convert.

-Turkey has to protect the lane and keep'em on the perimeter. Hedo needs to step up.

-Durant will be only 29 and in his prime for the 2018 FIBA World Championships.

First Quarter:

-Derrick Rose to the rack on their first possession but Turkey answers right away to tie the game, 2-2

-Durant hits his first j.

-Sweet KD step-back 3. My goodness.

-KD 3 makes it 12-7.

-So far, Turkey has been inconsistent offensively.

-Rose misses a 3.

-Hedo gets away with an elbow and actually draws a foul.

-Odom's bleeding. Hedo hit him in the face. Gangsta. Chandler in. Hedo hits 2 from the line, 12-9

-Hedo's throwing 'bows and making shots. Came to play today. His 3 cuts it to 12-14.

-Refs clearly being influenced by crowd.

-Turkoglu's second 3 gives Turkey the lead but he's just thrown an elbow at Chandler.

-After that little altercation, Asik scores to give Turkey a 17-14 lead.

-Kevin Durant, third 3. Ties the game at 17. Guy is on fire. Already with 11.

-Plays defense too. Stopped a fastbreak with a block. Curry hits a three and the US is back on top, 20-17.

-US has gone small. Gay at the 5, Durant at the 4 with three guards.

-Beautiful defense by the Americans, force a 24-second violation.

-Rudy Gay shouldn't be taking 3's from the corner if he's playing the 5 spot. Won't be able to get back in time to play D.

-Wow. KD got hammered but the refs don't call it. Luckily, Westbrook was there for the offensive rebound and he got fouled. Hits both. US up 22-17 at the end of the first.

-First quarter is already a classic. Hedo Turkoglu came to play today but unfortunately, he's in the locker room now getting treatment. KD with 11 and a spectacular block. US 4-10 from 3 already.

Second Quarter:

-US sticks with their small line-up and Westbrook drives down the lane to get the hoop and the harm. 25-17.

-Turkey forces the US center to travel at the top of the key.

-This one commentator is clearly biased. Rudy Gay accidentally hit Tunceri in the face. Relax. There was nothing dirty about it.

-Tunceri hits both, 21-27. Less than 7 to go in the half.

-US starting five back in. Durant misses 3, has gone cold.

-Iggy rotates perfectly and gets the block.

-Durant driving baseline, runs into a brick wall and draws the foul on Asik. KD slow to get up, appears to be a little winded.

-Gets a split from the line, 28-21 USA. Turkey turns it over. That's their 10th.

-Durant nails a three from the corner, biggest lead of the game for the Americans, 31-21. He has 15.

-Hedo gets away with a foul and gets the rebound. Turkey turns it over again.

-Turkish zone forces an ugly Iguodala 3, Hedo hits his own. But KD answers right back. Ultimate zone-buster.

-Durant has 20 now, by the way.

-Billups' two FTs give USA a 10 point lead. 38-28, 2 and a half to go.

-Durant is 5-8 from 3, the rest of the team is 1-11.

-Turkey big Savas has now hit 3 of 4 from the line, cuts it to 7.

-Chauncey Billups with a horrible-looking 3 but Gay gets the board and puts it home, 40-31.

-Ersan Ilyasova to the line, 24.8 ticks left in the 2nd quarter. Gets a split.

-Last shot for Team USA. Westbrook appears to slip but draws the foul with 4.5 seconds left. Hits both. Lead back to 10.

-Gordon knocks the ball away and the half ends. 42-32

Halftime:

-Both teams with terrible shooting percentages (US 34% Turkey 35%) but their respective team leaders are playing well. Durant with 20, five 3's, 3 boards, 2 steals, 2 blocks. Turkoglu with 11, three 3's and 7 rebounds. Westbrook has 7, perfect from the line. Turkey with 5 more FT attempts but just one more made FT. Turnover story: Turkey 12, US 5.

Third Quarter:

-Here we go, Turkey with possession to start the last half of 2010 Worlds. Hedo misses the lay-up.

-Billups has to start penetrating and stop taking threes.

-US D forces another shot clock violation.

-And Durant hits another triple. Automatic. 45-32.

-KEVIN DURANT IS ON FIRE! ANOTHER THREE-POINTER! USA with their biggest lead of the game, up 16, 48-32.

-Wow. Turkey just left Rose and dared him to shoot that. Without Durant's 26, Turkey would actually be up.

-US on an 8-0 run to start the third, score is 50-32 now.

-Arslan hits a 3 to end the drought and Rose commits an offensive foul. Turkey needs to make their move now.

-Omar Asik can't put it in. Tapped out of bounds, last touch on the Americans.

-Iggy's offensive board leads to a wide-open Lamar Odom lay-in. US bench is standing up now, they know the gold medal is within reach.

-Arslan hits a three, cuts the deficit to 11, 41-52. USA timeout. Commentators are really biased.

-Out of the timeout, US turns it over but stops Turkey from scoring. For some reason, Turkey has gone to a man-to-man now. Gay hits a jumper off the dish from Iguodala, 54-41.

-Turks getting the calls but can't hit their FTs, failing to capitalize.

-Ilyasova with the miss, Durant the rebound, Westbrook the three, 57-41.

-Durant toyed with the little Turkish defender and just hit a beautiful jumper.

-Rose and Billups miss and that's the end of the third. US up 13, 61-48. Ten minutes to go 'til we crown the 2010 Worlds champion. US shooting has gotten better, Turks' has gotten worse. Ilyasova is a no-show.

Fourth Quarter:

-Rose turns it over on their first possession.

-Hedo hasn't returned. Injury could be serious.

-Rose with back-to-back fastbreak buckets. Maybe this can get him going. Up 17 now, 65-48.

-Future Boston Celtic Semih Erden just scored on Lamar Odom but Lakers fans need not worry., guy is a long way from actually being a factor in the NBA. Odom counters with a three from the corner.

-Fourth foul on Billups, Turkoglu comes back in, finally with 7:30 to go.

-Turkey has lost focus, down 20 now after Odom's fastbreak lay-up.

-Derrick Rose with the and-1. He's got six in the quarter, going for 7. Misses the FT but Odom tips it in. US up by 22 now, 74-52, 6 minutes to go.

-Rose and Odom have all 15 of Team USA's points this quarter.

-Four and a half to go in the quarter, US up by 19, this game is pretty much done.

-Westbrook is definitely benefiting from the shortened 3-pt line, hits the pull-up. Hedo counters with his own but with three minutes to go, it might be a little too late.

-Subs have come in (DANNY GRANGER TIME) and USA is already celebrating.

-Durant leaves with 42 seconds left. He didn't score in the 4th but his teammates picked up the slack. Finishes with 28 points, 7 threes, 5 rebounds, 3 steals and two blocks.

-And it's over. 83-64. Team USA wins their first World Championship in 16 years.

Postgame:

Derrick Rose and Lamar Odom picked up the slack in the 4th backing up Durant's superb play. Odom finishes with 15 and 11, RussWest with 13 and 6. Turkey was led by Turkoglu with 16, no one else reached double figures.

So the US "B-Team" takes the gold. Which players deserve to be back for the 2012 Olympics? Odom and Chauncey Billups played well but might be too old for it. Rose had an inconsistent tournament but if he continues to improve, he should right there. Eric Gordon, Rudy Gay and Andre Iguodala all played well in a support capacity. For me, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant have to be sure things. Westbrook was the only player who could penetrate a zone and Durant was just unstoppable at times. Team them up with LeBron, Wade, Dwight, D-Will, CP3 and Melo and fill the rest of the slots with bigs and role players and no one will be able stop Team USA.

Awesome Weekend

So it's Sunday, as I write this, and the end of the long weekend which lasted from September 9-12, 2010. Here's what went down:

Thursday:

Carpool Party! It's the first carpool party of the new school year and the first not to be organized by me. I was a little apprehensive about going at first, but when I arrived, I knew I was just being silly. Seeing everybody was great. True, not everyone went and it was the fewest number of people at a carpool party ever but that's okay. Seeing Sevi, Javi, Doms, Amanda A., Racela and the rest was pretty fun. I miss Makati Carpool! I miss it so much that I am creating the Makati Carpool Alumni Organization haha. It was great laughing with everyone and reminiscing about the past. Like I told'em afterwards, 'til next time!

Friday:

Friday night was a good night. I don't want to spoil too much about it and it would only really matter to me, honestly, so let's just leave it at I had fun. :) I had lunch in UCC and watched Resident Evil: Afterlife too!

Saturday:

Yesterday, Saturday, was the rest day so I spent most of it catching up on The Walking Dead which is a pretty awesome book. I can't help but feel that the book should be wrapping up soon because it feels like it has nowhere else to go after the current story arc. Spoilers! They started out on the road. Then at a farm. Then at the prison and then back on the road and now Rick, Andrea and the remaining cast have found their way into the perfect situation. The teasers suggest that something bad is going to happen but then what's next for them if their new haven gets wrecked and they are forced to leave? It's going to get repetitive if they have to survive on the road again. I say, have them run into the authorities and then just leave the country. There has to be hope out there.

Whoops, kinda rambled on. Anyway, back to Saturday! So in the early evening, we heard mass then had dinner in Pancake House and then watched Despicable Me. Cute movie, but it got a wee bit boring. To end the evening, I watched the US-Lithuania semifinal game. Kevin Durant is a beast and I can't wait for the final game tonight. Turkey's got homecourt but the US have Durant so it's going to be an instant classic.

Sunday:

We had lunch in my Tita's house today, the customary Favis Lunch. Great food! It was fun hanging out with my cousins and nieces. And well, that's that! Haha.

So yeah, this weekend was pretty good. It's Monday tomorrow (*groan*). Hope everyone has a good week and I finally get a job. Haha!

Toodles!